Silvering-machine.



C. A. CLARK.

SLIVERLNG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY7,1914.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

7 v I/vv NTOR 5 )6 5,4 g V AT RNEV,

c. A. CLARK, SLIV ERING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1914.

Patented 001. 12, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2 daw B %m z flTTMP/VEY.

WIT

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Q m x a J W 1N 5 IR C. A; CLARK.

SLlVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYT, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINOTON, n. c,

C. A. CLARK.

SLIVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1914.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

.Z/v ENTOR 6a. 5y )6 g i HTTQR/VE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM CO" WASHINGTON, D.c

c. A. CLARK.

SLIVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1914.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6 HTTORNEK 3 ED STATES CHARLES ALFRED CLARK, 0F AUBURN,YORK.

SLIVERING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedQot.12, 1915.

Application filedMay 7, 1914. Serial No. 836,883.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. CLARK,- of Auburn, in the county ofCayuga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Slivering-Machines, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in feeding and pilingattachments for slivering machines as used more particularly in themanufacture of rope from hemp or equivalent fiber, but it will beevident from the following description that the same attachments may beused in the preparation of slivers of any fibrousmaterial and for anypurpose where it is necessary to stack or pile loose untwisted strandsin relatively small symmetrical and compact space.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, it has been the invariable custom ofrope manufacturers to employ a helper at the delivery end of eachmachine fordirecting the delivered sliver into a suitable confiningspace (such as a box or rack), the usual method being to arrange theloose untwisted strands in coils which not only produces a more or lessloose and irregular pile requiring a greater amount of floor space forthe storage of a given weight of the fiber-but imparts to the strand acertain objectionable twist.

The primary object, therefore, of my present invention is to providemeans driven by the machine for laying out or stacking the slivers inlayers of uniform length and width as it emerges from the machinewithout liability of twisting or breaking down at the ends. That is, Ihave sought to provide an automatic stacker operating in such manmer asto cause the sliver to traverse backward or forward over a predeterminedarea so that the successive strands will be deposited side by sidethroughout such area without liability of piling up more in one placethan in another.

Another object is to provide an automatic packer or pressing deviceacting intermittingly but in synchronism with the stacking mechanismwhen the latter is in such position to permit the operation of thepacker.

Another object is to prevent the passage Qther objects and uses relatingto specific parts of'the machine will be brought out in the followingdescription.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe rear end of aslivering machine showing the automatic stacker or piler and itsoperating mechanism and also the pack ing device and box in which thesliver is stacked. Fig. 2 is an end view of the stacking and packingmechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3' is an enlarged central verticalsectional view through the upper portion of the samejdevice taken online3-3, Fi g. 2. Fig. 4- is' an enlarged rear face view of the upperportion of the oscillatory stacker or laying out device for the sliverand its operating mechanism. Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectionalview through the upper portion of the same device taken on line 5, 5,Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an'enlarged side elevation of the upper portion of themachine opposite to that shown in Fig. 1 showing more particularly thehand-operated cams for separating the feeding rollers which deliver theslivers from the main guide into the stacking chute. Fig. 7 is anenlarged horizontal sectional view through the packing device and upperend of the packing box taken on line 77, Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is an enlargedhorizontal sectional view through the rear portion of the sliveringmachine showing the gears for transmitting motion from one of thedelivery rollers to the countershaft which drives the feeding rollersand other movable parts of the stacking and packing device taken on line8-8, Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through aportion of the packer-operating mechanism taken on line 9-9, Fig. 2.Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of thedriving mechanism for the stacker and packer taken on line 1010, Fig. 1.Fig. 11 is a sectional view through the lower end of the packing arm,showing its pivotal connection with its supporting bracket or heari s.Fig. 123 is a side elev: tion. partly in section. of portions of thefront and rear ends of the slivering mach ne. showing more particularlythe auto 11L tic belt-shi7 ing and releasing mechansrns who-" a knot orextra heavy quantity of presented at certain points feed of th sliverwill auto-- in the line of mz'itically stop the machine to allow thoseof the fiber to be reea elevation, partly in out,

9 12. 16 L. a similar detail sectional view taken on line 16l6 at therear end of the rock shaft showing one of the crank arms for trippingthe detent.

Automatic stacker 0r yivcrr l his stacker or piler is located at thedelivery end of the slirering machine as an attachment thereto, and inorder that the ssociation may be clearly established, 1 have shown therear end of a slivering machine A as provided with a pair of feedingrollers a delivering the sliver into a chute B and thence between theadditional. pair of feeding rollers b from which the sliver is divertedoutwardly into a stationary upright chute or guide 1, the latter beingsupported in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position upon a bracket2 on the rear end of the machine A-.

Mounted on the upper end of the guide chute -lis a framework 3- carryinga plurality of in this instance three, feed rollers 1 5 and 6, the feedrollers and 5 serving to receive the sliver directly from the upper endof the chute l and to divert it rearwardly and downwardly between thefeed rollers 5 and 6-, the meeting faces of the latter being locateddirectly over and in vertical alinement with the upper open end of anoscillatory piling or stacking chute 7- which extends downwardly somedistance below the ee i rollers 5- and -6 tol octly over the open upperend cn'ng box or frame 8- in which ao is adapted t he tein mrarilyits-cited 01. d.

chute is ac apted to be The stack oscillated forwardly and rearwardlyand is also movable transversely of the machine r this purpose itsripen" side is connected by a universal joint 5)-- nisaeio to a screwstud -10 whica is iustahly cured to a bracket -1l on too upper end ofthe guide chute "1* as sh clearly in Figs. 3 and 5, thus per entirechute to be oscillated in any d about the center of the univei pling 9-.

The means for oscillating the "ainstance of a rotary eccentric isrigidly secured to a rotary sh the latter being iournaled in so ings inthe frame -3 as shown clearly in Figs. 3, i, and 5, said beingsurrounded by per i l3 loose thereon and attao rear side of the stackerchute W M by of laterally elongated loop trio with the axis of movementand secured to the opposite si thereof indicated in Figs. 3 and i, theconnectio oetween the band l3"- and loop be g to permit the loop -14. toslide freely through the ring or band as the chute is oscillatedlaterally in a manner presently de scribed. The means for effect, thislerally oscillating movement of the chute 7- consists of rotary shaftjournaled in suitable hearings on the 8 transversely of the machine andpreferably at the of the chute and provided with a double threadedportion it?- constituting a right and left hand threat with which isengaged a sectional nut l.'. having a cylindrical shank *l8. wisjournaled in a yoke -l9., the letter slidable along and upon the, treaded portion of the shaft and is held again t turning by slidingengagement with an underlying guide rod 20 also mounted in the frame -3.

A rock arm 21- has its upper end slidably mounted upon the cross rod 20a recess in the yoke l9 so as to move laterally with said yoke as the laer is shifted along the shaft 15 by engagement of the nut 17 with thethreaded portion 16, the lower end of the rock arm 21 being passedloosely through an elongated loop 2:2 on the rear side of the stackerchute 7 so as to rock said chute laterally or transversely of themachine a s the arm -21 and yoke 19 are similarly moved by the screw 16-and nut 17.

The means for driving the eccent carrying shaft l3 and screw shaft isfollows: The lower fe roller -Z')-- on the rear end of the slivermachine is Gilli. mooted by a t ain of I coin:

7; the lower end or which is journal-ed rec in a bearing on the bracket2- while its upper end is journaled in a corresponding bearing on theframe and is connected by bevel 28* to a horizontal shaft --2S), thelatter being also journaled in suitable be 'ngs on the frame 3- andforms a driving shaft for the feed roller -5- mounted thereon.

The shaft 2-9is provided with a pini n 30- driving train of relativelylarger gears -31, -32 and 33, the gears and -33 being securedrespectively to the eccentric-carrying shaft -l3 and to the screw shaft--15 as shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6. These gears -30, -3l, -32and 33- are, of course, so proportioned as to drive the cam shaft l-3--and screw shaft 15 at t ieir required speeds, the gear 3l beingjournaled on a stud --3-ft on the adjacent side of the frame 3 andserves to drive the shafts 13 and 15 in the same directi on.

The reversely cut threads or screws 16 on the shaft -15 acting on theswivel nut 17- serve to reciprocate the yoke 19 and arm -l rectilinearlyor parallel with the axis of the shaft -15, this reciprocatory movementof the arm 21- serving in turn to oscillate the chute 7 laterallytlu'ough the medium of its connection 22 therewith and at the same timepermits the eccentric -12 to oscillate said chute in a plane at rightangles to that imparted to it by the arm 21.

The free end of the chute is, therefore, caused to traverse an'edetermined area directly over the upper end of the box or stackerframe 8-, the throw of the eccen trio being such as to cause the sliverto he returned back and forth. from front to rear of the interior ofsaid box while the length of the screw l6 and its connections with thechute are constructed so as to lay out the returns of the sliver fromside to side within the box with the return strands in close proximity,thereby stacking the sliver symmetrically and filling the entire spacewithin said box, it being understood that the sectional nut -'-17 isautomatically reversed at each end of the screw for reversingthedirection of lateral movement of the arm -fll and chute 7 con nectedthereto.

The feeding rollers -land -6- are jcurnaled in yielding bearings 35 and3- spring-pressed toward the feed roller 5 by springs 3 T and 38- toyieldingly hold said rollers l and 6 in contact with the roller forfeeding the sliver from the stationary guide '-1- into the oscillatoryguide delivery chute .-7-, but it is sometimes necessary to separatesaid rollers, as for example when passing the sliver between them byhand in the mechtmism.As the loosely stacked in. the manner describedwithin the box 8, it becomes necessary to pack it down at intervals andfor this purpose I have provided an oscillatory packer arm l2 fulcrumedat its lower end at -4l-? to a bracket t-itcentrally on the upper end ofone side of the box 8 as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2.

T he upper end of the arm -.t2 provided with a cross-bar l5 which ismovable into and out of the box against the upper surface of the stackedsliver-to press the same downwardly into the box as the arm l2- isoscillated in the manner presently described.

A crank arm --l7 is fulcrumed on the bracket 4l coaxial with the axis ofmovement of the rock arm -42 but movable independently thereof and tothis crank arm is pivotally attached a rod 48- pass ing upwardly throughan apertured lug l9 on the rock arm 4r2-.

A compression spring 50 surrounding the rod 4l8-- is interposed betweenthe shoulder 51 on said rod and the adjacent face of the lug l9 andtogether with the rod i8 establishes a yielding connection between thecrank arm l-7- and rock arm l2- to compensate for 'arying positionswhich the free end of the rock arm l-2 will assume as the height of thestacked sliver in the box varies, the up per end of the rod l8 beingprovided with a shoulder 52 for returning the rock arm upwardly.

Any suitable means may be employed for oscillating the packer arm l2intern'iittingly so as not to interfere with the operation of thedelivery chute 7 and for this purpose a cam shaft 53 is journaled insuitable hearings on the bracket l-tand provided with a cam 54l rigidthereon acting against a roller 55 on the crank arm 47 as shown moreclearly in Fig. 9 for rocking the arm -l2- laterally and downwardly intothebox -8 against the action of a retracting spring 56.

Secured to the cam shaft 53 is a pulley 57, which is connected by a belt-58 to a loose pulley -59 on the screw shaft .15- so that the action ofthe packer is synchronized with the lateral movement of the deliverychute 7 and is adapted to move in a plane parallel with said screwshaft.

Owing to the fact that the free end of the packer arm -l2 moves from oneside downwardly into approximately the center of the and that thelateral movement of the delivery chute and sliver do liver-ed therebyinto the l'JOX are caused to move across the path of movement of thefree end of the packer arm, it becomes necessary to prevent the movementof said packer arm when the delivery chute is moving from its centralposition toward the site of the box to which the packer arm is attachedand for this purpose 1 have provided the pulley 59- with a clutch face60 adapted to be engaged by a sliding clutch section Glwhich is splinedor feathered upon the screw shaft -15, the sliding clutch 61 beingoperated by a shifting member 62 riding in an annular groove on theclutch section 61- and pivoted to lever 63 which in turn is fulcrumedintermediate its ends on the frame 3 and is pivotally connected to ahorizontally sliding rod 6 l-, the latter being guided in aperturedbearings 65 on said frame parallel with the screw shaft -15.

A collar -(i6 is loosely mounted on the screw shaft -l5 at the righthand end of the screw 16, Fig. 5, to slide thereon and is adjustablysecured by means of a set screw 67 to the sliding rod -64. to movetherewith. A coil spring o8 surrounds the shaft 15 between the collar-66 and adjacent side of the frame 3-- nearest the gear 33 for normallyholding the collar 66 in the path of movement of the yoke -19- and alsofor normally holding the clutch section 6l out of engagement with thecorresponding clutch face 60 of the pulley 59-.

The action of the packer, therefore, depends upon the movement of thecollar 66 against the action of the spring 68 by the yoke 19, saidcollar being adjusted along the screw shaft 15 and rod 6 lto cause theoperation of the packer arn 4l2 only while the stacker chute 7 is movingfrom its central po sition to its position at the right hand of Fig. 2and back again, during which time the collar 66 will have been shiftedby the yoke 19 along the screw spindle 15 against the action of thespring -Gc-. the latter serving to automatically return the collar andthereby releases the clutch from operative engagement with the pulley 59as soon as the delivery chute 7- returns to a predetermined positiontoward the packer arm 4.J.

Starting and stopping mechcmz'sm.-ln Figs. 12 and 13, l have shown amain driving shaft 'E as provided with tight and loose pulleys -69 and70 for receiving a belt 7 1" which is shifted from one pulley to anotherby means of a shifter loop -72 mounted on one end of a bar 73, thelatter being guided in transverse ways 7et in the opposite sides of themain supporting frame of said machine.

A rock shaft d6 is journaled in bearings upon and lengthwise of themachine so as to extend to the rear end thereof where it is providedwith a hand lever 75- rigid thereon for turning said rock shaft by handagainst the action of a retracting spring 76*, the latter beinginterposed between the handle and adjacent bearing for the shaft asshown in 12.

friction is transmitted from the rock shaft -l-6 to the belt-shiftingbar 73 by means of a crank arm 77 having a slot -7S-- for receiving apin -79- on the shifting bar whereby, as the rock shaft -el6 is operatedby the handle -75 to tension the spring76,the bar 73 will be shifted tothe left as shown in Fig. 13, thereby shifting the belt from the loosepulley onto the tight pullev in which posi tion the bar Z3- will beautomatically locked by detent -80 engaging in a notch -81 in theunderside of the bar as shown in Fig. 1 L, said detent consisting, inthis instance, of a lever fulcrumed interme diate its end at 82 to theadjacent portion of the main supporting frame A of the machine. Thisdetent is weighted so as to automatically engage in the notch -S1.

Suitable devices are provided in different parts of the machine actuatedby knots or extra heavy quantities of the sliver during its passagethrough said machine for tripping the detent 80 One of thesetrippinedevices is arranged to coact with the upper feed roller b on therear end of the machine and for this purpose such roller is mounted invertically yielding bearings 83 normally under spring tension of thesprings 84 so that in case a knot or extra heavy quantity of materialshould be caught between the feeding rollers b. the upper one will beraised against the action of the spring -8-. This liftingmovement of theroller is utilized to trip the detent 80 by connecting one end of saidlever to the lower end of an upright rod 8Z- having its other endprovided with a hook S6 engaging the upper side of the shaft of theupper roller bas shown more clearly in 12 and 13, whereby, as the rolleris raised in the manner just previously described, the detent 80 will beforced from holding engagement with the beltshifting bar -73 therebyallowing the spring 76 to automatically rock the shaft 46 for returningthe shifting mechanism to its starting position with the -Z but itsometimes happens that the elite will pack up or bunch in the chute andth prevent the delivery of such sliver in proper form to the stackingdevice and in order to prevent such condition, a curved ruck arm -88 ispivotally mounted in the upper front end of the chute B with its convexde facing the bottom thereof, leaving s cient clearance between thecurved arm -SS- and. bottom of the chute for the free passage of thesliver in its normal condition through said chute. This curved arm -SSis preferably secured to rock shaft 99 and is provided with a crank'arin 90 connected by a cable )lto the hook S6 on the upper end of therod -85, the central portion of the cable being passed over a sheave 92so that in case the sliver should bunch or collect while passing throughthe chute, the extra thickness will raise the arm 88 and thereby liftthe rod 85 through the medium of the cable 91 to effect the tri 'ipingof the detent 80 in a manner sin'iilar to that previously described. Itis advisable, however, to prevent the entrance of these knots or heavythickness of sliver into the machine or before reaching the chute B orrear end roller b and for this purpose I have shown two feeding rollersF forming a part of the ordinary sl'vering machine and located near thefront end thereof, the upper roller l* being mounted in a verticallyyielding bearing f-normally spring-pressed downwardly by a coil springand permitting the upper roller to rise against the action of saidspring in case a knot or extra heavy thickness of sliver should becomecaught between the rollers 'F. This upward movement of the upper rollerl* is also utilized to trip the detent -S0 by engaging the upper side ofthe shaft of the upper roller with a shoulder 95 which is pivoted to oneend of the lever This lever is fulcrumed intermediate its ends at 97upon a portion of the main supporting frame -A and is pivotallyconnected to the upper end of a vertical rod 98-- having its lower endpivotally connected to a crank arm 99- on a rock shaft -100, said rockshaft being journaled in suitable bearings l01 on the main supportingframe parallel with the rock shaft 74l and extends to a point inproximity to the end of the detent 80 to which the end of the uprightrod 85 is detached where it is provided with a crank "arm l02 extendingunder the loweredge' of said detent asshown more clearly in Fig. 16. v

- The crank arms 99 and 102 on the rock shaft -100' project in oppositedirections from said shaft so that when the shoulder -95 is lifted bythe upward movement of the upper free roller f it causes a correspondingdownwardmove ment of the rod 98-- through the movement of the lever 96,thus rocking the shaft l00 and causing the crank arm l02- to lift theadjacent end of the detent 80, thereby tripping said detent from holdingengagement with the beltshifting bar 73 and allowing the spring 76 toreturn said bar to its normal position with the belt -71 in engagementwith the loose pulley for stopping the machine.

The operation of my invention will now be readily understood uponreference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings,but it will be evident that the mechanisms for stacking and packing thesliver and for starting and automatically stopping the machine asaffected by the presence of knots or extraheavy thicknesses of sliver indifferent parts of the machine may be modified materially withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention and, therefore, I do notlimit myself to the structure herein shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. In a slivering machine, the combina tion with an oscillatorysliver-delivery guide mounted on the delivery end of the machine ofmeans for simultaneously moving said guide in reverse directions atright angles to its oscillatory movement for laying the plaits ofsuccessive tiers in the same direction.

2. A slivering machine having a delivery chute, means for oscillatingthe chute in one dir ction, and additional means including a traversingscrew for moving it in a plane at right angles to such oscillatory movement. v

3. In a machine of the character described, a delivery chute for tiesliver, means including a traversing scr v for moving the chute inreverse directions, and additional means including an eccentric formoving it in a different plane.

l. In a machine of the character described, a vibratory delivery chutefor the sliver, actuating means therefor, and mechanism synchronisedwith the movements of the delivery chute for packing down the sliver asit is deposited from said chute.

5. In combination with a slivering machine in which the fiber is combedand delivered in the form of a single continuous to the first-nameddirection of movement ribbon or sliver, an oscillatory sliver-reforlaying the sliver plates in successive ceiving tube attached to thedelivery end tiers in the same direction Without twisting.

of the slivering machine, means for oscil- In Witness whereof I havehereunto set 5 latingfthe guide tube at da relatively rapiil1 my handthis 2nd day of May 1914. rate 0' movement in the irection of lengt ofthe fiber as delivered from the machine, CHARLES ALFRED CLARK andadditional means for oscillating the Nitnesses: guide tube at arelatively low rate of speed H. E. CHASE, 10 in a direction atsubstantially right angles EVA E. GREENLEAF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

